Mountain Driving Tips

Sorry, but I got a newbie / never been west of the Missippi River type of questions about the mountains.

I saw someone mention a tckt for hitting the runaway ramps. 1) I thought they were put there for safety. 2) Why would you get a tckt if something broke/happened to where you needed to use one?
Thnx

 

Well, To use a run-a-way ramp you will be considered out of control. As in going to fast for the hill / equipment / load.

Not to mention your truck is going to be towed, and a considerable amount of money lost on repairs to the front suspension.

Makes checking your equipment before starting down a real cost effective idea.

1. The ticket cost.
2. The towtruck cost.
3. The repair cost and maybe the loss of your job.
4. Possible physical damage to driver or co-driver. It's not a gentle stop.

 

run-a-way ramps are designed to save a life, not a truck.
the ones I have seen scare the heck outa me, but the other option is much worse.

 

I don't mean to steal the thread, but I was wondering how should a hill be approached in these new automatic/automated tranny's with jakes?
I have never driven one, but hear large fleets have them..... therefore newbies will be in em.

 

You can manually select gears with the auto's. You just manually select the gear you want for the decent.

 

How are these things designed? The only ones I've ever seen are on the Mass Trnpk, and they are just little uphill ramps.

Would you be in trouble with the co. if something out of your control broke and you needed to use one? At what point do you decide, "ok...I need to hit the ramp"?

 

When your pants are full !!!!

 

(...if you don't have jake we are taught to use the higest gear on the low range. while keeping a constant 7psi on the brakes. if you do have a jake use the lowest gear on high side with the same constant 7psi on the brake pedal and you will never smoke your brakes. please adjust for weather conditions as well for example rain if the roads are wet take it slower and if need be hold up and the brake check station til things clear up.)

Maybe they teach that in flatland schools, but not in the mountain states. I don't think the instructors want to end up dead!

Agreed... this one really needs to work on his technique in those "Florida Mountains," and please advise the rest of us if you plan on heading west of Tallahassee or north of Jacksonville!

 

Wonder how many points csa2010 will charge for hitting the runaway ramp?

 

8 years ago, I was running in West Virginia.
I came up to a runaway truck ramp and saw a Winnebago parked in there.
I thought maybe they were brokedown or something.
Nope, they were having a cookout in the runaway ramp!!!
You know you're a redneck when....